A Life In The Dark
by KaraTheTexan
Summary: Sometimes people say you get what you deserve. But what if what you're getting has nothing to do with you but everything to do with a life forced upon you? And what if there's someone to help you along the way? To protect you, in his own way, when you need it? What happens when the one person who protects you is also a person who inflicts you harm? What do you do then?
1. Chapter 1

The cold night air nipped at her bare, dirt smeared skin, her still healing ribs making it extremely uncomfortable when it came to trying to huddle up for warmth. Just another night, nothing making this day any different from yesterday or even tomorrow, it's always going to be the same for Éponine. The day spent roaming the streets, usually, or being a part of her father's schemes to get money out of anyone he saw fit. The nights spent in a man's bed for a short time while she 'earned' the money the 'easy' was as her father put it.

She hated it, every second of it, but she didn't exactly have a choice in it. She was forced to use herself as a way to get the money her father wanted or endure another round of his fists on her body. She picked the one that didn't leave her body covered in bruises, most of the time. The men, if you could call them that, were never more than the scum that ran around with her father and saw her as nothing more than a means to take care of their erections. She hated them, all of them with so much passion in her but knew she could do nothing about them and that keeping her hate to herself was a way of keeping herself alive for one more day and at the end of the day that's what life was about for her.

She walked the streets at all hours of the day and knew each turn by memory, the streets were in her blood and she was able to let them take her and just go anywhere. Time did not matter to her, the moon was up and its light shining over the cobblestone under her feet illuminating the world around her. After a while of walking around she found herself in the front of the familiar building, she wasn't surprised her feet had led her to the makeshift home of her childhood friend and partner in crime, Montparnasse. It was an old building, dingy and rundown inn that hadn't been used for years, but he had managed to salvage a part of the top floor and furnish it with things he stole and actually buying somethings, with stolen money of course. Overtime the top floor, which of course he picked so he could look down at whoever walked the streets of the slums at night, had become an actual living space, a couple decent yet rundown beds, a sofa with stains of, who the hell knew what those stains were, along with various knickknacks he had acquired over the years. Éponine had been there so many times she didn't need to knock or announce herself, she simply walked in the front door and made her way up the stairs to the top floor and let herself into the what was the living room, plopping herself down on the edge of the sofa and bringing her legs up to her as she simply sat there.

"Just letting yourself in again I see." The familiar, deep voice of Montparnasse coming from the bedroom. She turned her head to see him walk with his shirt in hand, her eyes falling on his bare, sculpted chest a few seconds before looking up at his eye, the dark eyes that kept so many secrets and lies, yet she could still see the hint innocence that she knew had yet to leave him, the innocence she knew would be gone soon enough with the amount of time he spent with her father.

"Nothing special to be let into if we're being honest." A smirk playing on her lips as he spilled on his shirt and sat beside her on the sofa, to which she instantly moved to rest her body weight against his and lean her head on his shoulder, letting out a soft wince at her the sharp pain she still got from her ribs. She tried to keep it hidden but 'Parnasse always knew what those winces meant, he hated them because he just knew her father had yet again given her another beating and as always he just wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him as gently as he could to hurt her more.

"Yeah yeah, that's why you keep coming back here." Giving her a smirk of his own as she nuzzled her head into the space between his shoulder and neck, "It's better here than over there" she mumbled as he rest his head on hers. She could feel his jaw clench at her response, she knew he hated the fact that her father was physical with her.

"You don't have to stay you know." His voice softening as his thumb began to move slowly over her shoulder.

"You know I can't, as long as I'm there he won't do the same to Gavroche or Azelma. I can't abandon them there not with -them- there." Shaking her head a bit, "I want to, you know I do. But I can't-I won't."

He sighed biting his lower lip a bit, "What was tonight for?" It was her turn to sigh as she turned her head into his chest before replying, "I wouldn't be with Babet. I refused to even though he had paid my father, I said no to both of them so both of them did it tonight." Her eyes started watering without warning and she felt a tear slide down her dirt ridden cheek and felt him move her from her place to sit across his lap and wrapped both arms around her, holding her closer and running a hand over her tangled, dirty hair and shushing her softly.

"Shh, forget about that it's okay. It's done now." Pressing a kiss to her temple as she nodded and wiped her face with the back of her hand, "Stay here tonight, don't go back." His voice lowered to a whisper even though she was the only one around to hear, "You know can't, 'Parnasse. You know I have to go back and keep him from tou-" He cut her off before she could continue, "Just for tonight I'm not asking forever, just tonight, 'Ponine one night that's it."

She lifted her chocolate, still wet eyes to his, the dark, stormy ones that right now showed the innocence that was still in him. She couldn't help but nod to him, they're relationship was rocky to put mildly but she knew of all people Montparnasse would be the one to trust, always. He smiled as she agreed and pressed a soft kiss to her lip before resting his forehead on hers. They stayed that way for a few minutes, not a word between either of them just the sound of the night outside and their breathing before he slid off the couch with her still in his arms, carrying her bridal style to his bed. She had been in his bed many times before, it wasn't something new to her and it was the only other bed that she knew she could sleep in and be safe. He pulled her close and kissed her temple again as soon as he moved beside her, "Night 'Ponine. I'll still be here when you wake." She leaned her head and gave him a tender kiss as he spoke his last words with that sleepy tone she found adorable, "Night, 'Parnasse. And thanks for taking care of me." As soon as she laid her head back down on his shoulder she let sleep fall over her and let the warmth of his body surround her.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning rays ticked Éponine's face as it streamed in through the open window, still in Montparnasse's embrace. He hadn't moved all night, his arm was still resting on her waist and her hand was still pressed gently against his chest. His dark locks had fallen onto his face and she just stayed there watching him for a few minutes. These were the times she cherished, where she saw sides of him that nobody else ever did, sides that were reserved for her and her alone.

"You make it a habit of staring at people while they sleep?" His voice was groggy and a bit horse, his eyes still hasn't opened but the corner of his lips turned up into a smirk.

"What makes you think I was staring?" She loved playing these little games with him.

"I can feel you breathing on me, 'Ponine. You know it's not polite to stare."

"Since when do you care about polite?" She smirked as he finally opened an eye and quirked a brow at her, the arm around her waist bringing her closer to him.

"Since I'm the one being stared at right now." She chuckled and made herself comfortable in his arms. It was these moments though that he would never admit to to anyone, not even if she was the one to bring it up so she soaked up the moments as much as she could.

"And since when do you mind being stared at? I thought you loved attention no matter how you got it." Snickering as he gave her waist a squeeze, that familiar grin on his lips. Her snickering though was to mask the whimper she wanted to let out at his squeeze, she knew he didn't mean to aggitate the pain and probably didn't remember at that moment about the bruises on her torso from the hits she took the night before at the hands of her father and his 'minion' as she liked to called them all. She kept as much of a carefree mask on her face to not show that she had aggrivated her injury, but of all the things Montparnasse could do, seeing straight through her masks was the most annoying thing, to her, and immediately he withdrew his arm from around her waist and looked down at her body.

"Sorry, I forgot." She shook her head and put her hand on his chest reassuringly, "It's fine, I'm okay." His gaze never leaving her torso almost as if he was trying to use x-ray vision to see how bad the bruises were.

"Show me." More of a request than a demand, his face softer than usual. She chewed her lip and took a deep breath, nodding softly before lifting the hem of her shirt up enough to show the various dark blue and purple marks covering her torso. She had downplayed how bad they had hit her, deep purple welts covered most of her ribcage, the mark of some sort of object was imprinted on her side, even with all the dirt smeared on her tanned skin every bruise was evident, each hit marked on her skin. Montparnasse could do nothing but just take in every detail of it while trying to keep his growing anger at bay imagining just how each mark was left. His fingers ghosted over her skin, outlining some of the imprints, his thumb moving over the mark on her side, "This?" She looked down at the mark that she was just noticing and just shrugged, 'Must've been when I fell down and Babet started to kick me." Saying it as if it was something normal that happened at any time, which is mostly true.

"I'll get him for this, both of them." His eyes starting to cloud and she knew what that look meant, that one of them was going to get seriously hurt.

"You'll do no such thing, 'Parnasse. Just leave it you know how it is, you getting involved wouldn't help the situation at all. Don't do anything." A hand lowering her shirt to cover her bruises while the other lifted his chin to make him meet her gaze.

"The hell do you mean 'just leave it'?" He had pushed himself up with his back against the wall, the mass of curls falling in disaray over his eyes before he pushed them back. "Just let that fucker put his hands on -you- and do nothing about it? Hell no, your father fine I won't go against him but not Babet, not when it comes to you. 'Ponine. You're me-

"Your what exactly, Montparnasse? I'm your what that you feel the uncontrolable need to do something about what I live with every day?" Sitting herself up quickly to be at eye level with him, "Go ahead, finish what you were gonna say right now. What am I to you?" Her eyes baring into him for an answer.

"Mine! That's what you are damn it and that's all you need to know." His words coming out with much more bite than he intended to.

"Yours? I'm not some cheap piece of property to be claimed by you or anyone else, got that?" His words had pushed her buttons and she pushed herself off the bed, practically jumping away from him, " God, 'Parnasse just when I start to think you're actually being caring and sweet you go and say shit like that." Glaring at him as she fixed the ragged clothing she had slept in, trying to smooth it out as much as she could, "You know what, thanks for the bed but I'm leaving."

She had already turned and started to leave when he jumped out of bed and grabbed at her arm, not intending to be as forceful as he was he twirled her around to face him, "And where the fuck you think you're going, huh? Back to daddy so he can hit you again and finish what he was doing last night? Is that where you're gonna go?" His hands were gripping at her arms roughly and she was already trying to push away from him, "You know you're better off with me."

Her hands were pressed to his chest again, but unlike before they didn't have a gentle touch as she tried pushing him off of her, "Get off me you're hurting me. Damn it this is exactly why I will -never- be yours." Finally able to push him off of her, her eyes filled with both boiling anger but even more so with hurt. He had put his hands on her before but never after seeing her haven been hurt by her father. "You don't need to worry about where I'm going. Not like you ever really cared anyway. I know what you've always wanted, to get for free what others pay for and stupid me I give it to you." Her eyes were now stinging with tears that threatened to fall and her lip quivered slightly, "I should never have let you touch me." Glaring at him as her voice lowered so only he could hear her, "Montparnasshole."

***Montparnasse POV***

With those words she gave him another shove, he fall back onto his bed as he watched her exit his bedroom and run across the open space towards the front door and slam it close. He let out a frustrated sigh at the knowledge that the only place left for her to go was back home, back to -him- only to receive another round of hits by him, and he didn't have a light hand either.

"God damn it, 'Parnasse you're a fucking idiot you know that?" Slamming his fists on the bed and tossing a pillow across the room to his door, "Never, -never- touch her after he has. You know how she is, she doesn't need more bruises on her"

With that he decided to go after her and apologize but knew that by this point she was already back on the streets and headed back to her father, there would be no point in trying to tail her seeing as he was the one who showed her how to lose someone who was following you. She was good, if she didn't want to be found that's how she stayed until she was ready to resurface somewhere but on her own time and in her own way. He made his way to the small window across from his bed and looked down at the street below almost as if trailing her with his eyes.

"God what hold do you have on me, 'Ponine? What is it that has be wrapped around your finger?" His voice lowering even though there was no one around, "And why do I not mind it? What keeps me coming back to you?"

_AN_

_I apologize that it took longer than I expected to get this chapter done. I do realize that Montparnasse may be a bit OOC in here but I'm going somewhere with this I promise. Also a quick question, what preference in chapter lengt do you enjoy reading more? I feel like this chapter needed to be longer but didn't want to over do it so that's why I'm asking about the chapter length._

_Thank you for the reviews it's motivating me to keep going and think of more to do with my babies, I love Montparnine!_


	3. Chapter 3

These little spats with Éponine always left him pissed, and when he was pissed he did stupid things. Being robbed of his usual state of sharpness, he made his first stupid move of the night: he was currently sitting in Thénadier's place, his feet up on a rickety wooden table, twirling the sharp blade of his knife expertly between his fingers. If there was one thing you could say about him it was that he had excellent marksmanship, If he wanted to get you he did, but when he didn't, it was to be taken as a warning.

Today he had a specific target in mind and was just waiting for the moment to strike. Éponine's words were running through his mind. He could do nothing about Thénadier-correction- he would do nothing about Thénadier. As good as Montparnasse was in evading and keeping himself out of trouble, he knew the man had other methods of taking care of his business and he didn't want to make his life more miserable than it already was. He was simply not going to try.

But Babet was different, he wasn't half the threat Thénadier was, not even a quarter of a threat. The oaf was a good link in the chain that was their gang, the Patrone-Minette, but if he continued to pull shit like he had last night, Montparnasse was in danger of stabbing the man strategically in the chest.

His thoughts were cut short when his feet were pushed roughly off the wooden table. Thénadier glared at him, and the rest of the gang stood behind him, already looking annoyed.

"The hell's wrong with you lot?" A single brow quirking up, he looked from one to another waiting for an answer.

"Little bitch Éponine decided to pull another one of her fuckin' disappearing acts again." Thénadier replied, his voice brimming with annoyance. He grabbed a bottle of stolen, cheap booze and downed a gulp, not even bothering to get a cup. "But she'll pay when she comes back. She don't know what's waiting for her."

At his tone Montparnasse tensed, but only slightly. He was always aware to never show the effect Thénadier's threats had on him. Instead, he plastered on the same smirk he always did. "The fuck she run for this time?" He said, doing his best to sound genuinely curious, despite knowing exactly what happened.

"What else? She was being a little bitch and had another of her goddamn bitch fits." It was Babet's turn to reply, plopping down on a worn out chair in the corner, "I tell ya, Thénadier she ain't good for nothin' but being on her dirty back."

At these words Montparnasse hissed, clutching at the hilt of his blade. He glared openly at Babet before remembering that he had to keep a calm demeanor. He smoothly plastered on the smirk that always fooled the lot.

"Well you know how she is, never could keep that girl on a leash, could you, Thénadier?" Montparnasse smirked, turned his attention back to the gang leader who was stingily drinking from the bottle in hand, "Hell, she was always runnin' off to my place all the time."

"That reminds me-she gone by your place? Figured you'd still be in her since you weren't here when you were suppose to." The last part of Thénadier's statement coming with more than just a hint of annoyance at him.

Montparnasse eyed the man. He was her father, her abuser, her pimp, and even though Montparnasse himself joined in on the hell Éponine had to endure daily, he still had felt the urge to toss his blade directly though the space between his eyes.

"Nope, haven't seen her since we did that last job a few days ago." The lie flowed so smoothly and convincingly from his lips, yet he wondered how they couldn't smell her scent still faintly on him.

"Well, when the bitch shows up she'll regret walkin' in the first place." Taking another long sip of his drink, a dark smirk began to form on Thénadier's face. Montparnasse could see him envisioning what he was going to do with Éponine once she showed up, the sick bastard.

"God damn it, Ep. Just get the fuck here already and make this easier on yourself. Why do you always had to make shit harder for you? You know you ask for this." Internally arguing with her, his friend, his nighttime companion, his...lover? In the sexual sense of the word, yes-Éponine was his lover. He had been ever since he "claimed" her as his own, the day their friendship changed forever. She had decided that she wanted her first sexual encounter to be with someone she trusted, and for all his faults, Éponine trusted him.

But a lover in the romantic sense of the word? That he didn't know. True, they had moments that could be romantic, when he'd hold her at night when she'd run away to him after another all-too-familiar beating, he'd even saved her many times when other men tried to take from her what her father forced her to sell, or even when she was on a job and had almost been caught.  
He would do almost anything for the girl to save her but that didn't stop him from putting his own hands on her and marking her as his with blue and purple marks on her sun kissed skin.

His thoughts were interrupted by the oaf yet again.

"Fuck that! When the bitch shows up, I'm taking what I paid for!" Babet practically screamed, pounding his fist into the wall. At that moment, something possessed Montparnasse, and he flung his blade in Babet's direction. His mind was clouded with anger, yet his marksmanship was still precise. The blade landed centimeters from the side of Babet's face, narrowly grazing over his skin, the tiniest trail of blood slowly trickling down his cheek. Montparnasse's eyes were focused on him, dark and filled with anger. They all knew that was never a good combination for anyone.  
He smirked and leaned back into his chair, watching Babet's eyes widen as the oaf jumped aside.

"The fuck was that about, 'Parnasse? You just fuckin cut me, you dick!" Babet yelled, his voice filled with anger and surprise.

Montparnasse just shrugged and pulled another blade from the inside of his boot, "You were annoying me-nothin' more, nothin' less."

"Bullshit! Like I don't know that you're pissed about that bitch," Babet growled, striding over to him. The man towered over Montparnasse, and to anyone else his stature would have been intimidating, but to the boy he was just a tall oaf with no mind. Nothing to be intimidated by. As Babet loomed over him, he glared back at him, not even batting an eye. "Think you're the only one she blows? For a sou anyone can have the whore on her knees." There was a smirk on the man's face as his words spat out.

Montparnasse jumped from where he was sitting, his arm flying towards Babet's chest as he pushed the man with all his strength into the opposing wall. His blade found the other man's neck within seconds as his voice came out with a venomous bite, "You think I give two shits who she does? Hell, I've had her on her knees more times than anyone else and I showed her all she knows so if and when you do get a taste of her just remember that_ I'm_ the reason she's as good as she is." His blade pressed into the others neck enough to create another thin trail of blood to trickle down before giving him another hard push with the arm on his chest and letting him go suddenly.

Although Montparnasse tried to calm himself, he couldn't stop shaking. Of course what he had said about not caring who Éponine was with was a lie, but he had to conceal that part of him from everyone else.

Without another word, he stormed out of the small shack that was the Thénadier residence, pulling the first knife out of the wall on the way and slamming the door behind him. He decided to spend the rest of his time looking for her. As good as Éponine was at hiding, Montparnasse was just good as finding.

**AN: I know Montparnasse may be a bit OOC in a few parts but the way I see it is, he has known Éponine for years and through the years and through all that they have been together he has grown to have feeling for her, he cares about her. He may not show it because he needs to keep the mask on in the life he lives and she is the only one that is able to peel it away. He struggles internally over that.**

**Second, I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to someone I have grown to appreciate and grown to care for, Jo you are amazing and I cannot thank you enough for first of all offering to look over my chapters and second for being honest about your reviews and your suggestions you're amazing and I adore you! Everyone should go check her out, she's wonderful, you can find her under weeell. Seriously go check her out. **

**And don't forget to R/R **


	4. Chapter 4

*Éponine POV*

Once again the raven haired woman was strolling silently along the streets of the slums, keeping to the shadows and rubbing her hands over her still dirt riddled arms. The cold air nipping her skin making her wish she had taken Montparnasse's jacket off the arm of the sofa as she stormed out of his place but also knowing that it would only remind her of the way he reacted, the things he spoke and it would only send her into another fit of anger and she would eventually end up stripping the coat off and tossing it somewhere, or buring it to make sure he couldn't get a hold of it again. Just to spite him.

He could be so infuriating, so full of himself, self-rightous even. What the hell made him think that she was a piece of property that he owned? What the hell was wrong with him? And knowing all his flaws, what kept her going back night after night? What was it about the jet black hair that her fingers currently craved? She hated him right now for his words, his actions, yet she wanted nothing more than for him to show up and wrap his coat around her malnourished frame and take her back to where it all started. Why did she want that? He had this hold, this pull that he wasn't aware of on her. Or maybe he was aware and that's why he treated her the way he did, because he knew that in the end she would always go back to him, no matter how big her threats, she'd return.

Loyal to the end.

She continued to walk through the slums, the dirt and putrid smell nothing new to her, it was the scent and look of her home. The home she dreaded and wanted to leave, but she was realistic, she knew the slums would be the death of her one way or another it really was only a matter of time before it happened. Sneaking between alleyways was always her way to stay hidden even in the light of day and tonight was no different. No. Tonight was different, the path she usually would be walking would take her towards the man that she is currrently and desperatly wanting to put distance between. While she ached to hold him and have him hold her, she knew if she saw his face she would snap and all her previous anger would come bubbling back and and she would simply walk away from him again, though he should be used to it by now. How many times had they done this whole back and forth? In all the years she's known Montparnasse, how many times has she hit him and walked away only to go back to him in the end? Too many to count.

As usual Éponine was distracted by her thoughts and had not heard the approaching footsteps behind her. In this part of town everyone knew of Éponine, her reputation, her father, the Patron-Minette, and it frightened most away not wanting to deal with any of them. But there were those certain few that although they knew what could happen, didn't care or were too arrogent and wanted to have some sort of reaction from the group and anything to do with Éponine was surely the best way to get a reaction from them. The footsteps grew closer yet she was still oblivious to the approaching man, it wasn't until she felt a strong arm wrap around her arm and pull her close to a warm, slightly built body that her concentration was broken. Immediately she assumed it was Montparnasse, finally caught up to her and ready to "teach her a lesson" as he called it, but it was the voice behind the mysterious figure that sent a tremble down her frail back.

"Looky what we have here, a regular street walker out to make her fair for the night." Though it was deep like Montparnasse, the twing of deception, the smirk she could hear, how the fingertips dug into her bonethin hips, and worse, the wreak of cheap alcohol and tabacco that radiated off him scared Éponine. She could handle herself well enough against even most men, her fights with 'Parnasse helped in that accord, but the drunk and horny ones were the ones she hated. They always seemed to have some burst of strength she could not match.

"Shove off, I am no street walker" Not completely a lie she spoke while trying to remove the arm that was around her waist pinning her to his body.

"Everyone knows you to be a street walker," His free hand brushing against her thigh, fisting her tattered skirt, "And I for one see no point in paying for what you were made for." In a swiftness she did not expect from the drunk he spun her to have her back press hard against the cold brick wall she was walking past and pressed his body to hers keeping her in place.

"Fuck off, drunken oaf. I do not desire you." Biting out her words as she tried to wriggle herself free of him. Though she kept her features stealed the panic began to spread through her being, yes she sold her body to provide for her family when her father's schemed fell through, but she did not want this, she did not want him. Her need of Montparnasse's arms growing more by each passing second.

A barking laughter from the man finally made her look up at him, in another time, in a different situation she might have called him handsome with his dark hair in messy waves, eyes dark with lust and alcohol, lips that were plump and skin that matched hers almost perfectly. Yes, if the situation was different he is the type she would have given a second glance to but now all she could think was of how terrifying he looked and determined to get what he wanted, to take what she only willingly gave to one other. Again getting lost in her thoughts, this time of him, she didn't realize the hand traveling down her side and landing on her hip or the fingernails that started to dig into her.

"Oh you've got some fight in you, I like that." He had lowered his lips to bite out the last words into her ear with a rough voice that sent another wave of chills down her back and her hands flying to his chest to push him away. It was no use seeing as, even though weakened by the alcohol, was still vastly stronger than she, partly due to her lack of proper nutrition throughout the majority of her life. To say he had an advantage over her was an understatement and she knew it.

A small wince came from her as his fingernails dug into her hip even more as his lips pressed roughly against hers, teeth biting at her lip before his still alcohol tinted tongue forced its way into her mouth and explored her taste, Éponine fought against his weight, against the hold that had her pressed against the dirty brick behind her to no avail. It wasn't until his hand hitched up her skirt and slid between her legs that panic really started to set in. For a moment she froze, the male anatomy was no secret to her but at least when she was with a man it had been willingly. But she had yet to endure the nightmare of having a man force himself onto her. His lips had now found their way to her neck leaving bites along her skin as she felt a finger slid inside her most intimate part, this was when she let out a shriek which was almost instantly quieted by a hard slap to her cheek. Tears stinging at her eyes and threatening to spill out as he muttered threats in her ear, his body holding Éponine firmly in place as his hands fumbled to remove his trousers and release what she did not want. Within seconds his trousers were around his ankles and Éponine could feel the erection pressing to the skin of her thigh causing her to fight back against him even harder but nothing helped, she even tried biting at his exposed neck but from what she could tell it only stirred him on more. His hands were roaming freely over her body and he was whispering into her ear about desires she could fill, it was her worst nightmare coming true and she could not stop it. She was now inwardly pleading for Montparnasse to show up, to suddenly appear and save her.

Without knowing what she was doing she let out another shriek, this one louder and longer than the previous one earning her another, harder slap across the face, this time she could taste blood starting to trickle down the corner of her lips which must have been split open by his hand. Her shout must have been the breaking point because he was now positioning himself to force into her entry. But just as soon as his body had been pressed against hers and keeping her in place was the weight of him suddenly removed and she could finally feel a gust of air brush against her skin as she hurridly tugged down the hem of her tattered skirt over her legs and fell to the ground bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her thin arms around herself automatically. She knew she shouldn't question what happen and she should just get up and run as fast as possible but she couldn't, her legs felt like lead and would not support her if she tried to stand up. It wasn't until she heard a familiar sounding voice that she remebered that someone was there with her, turning her head enough to get a look at the person that took the man off of her she saw the back of a tall, slender man stradling the man that only a few moments ago had her pinned to the wall, her attention on the fact that her savior's arms were drawing back and being tossed forward repeadetly as he sent blow after blow to the man on the ground.

Montparnasse.

She'd know his figure anywhere without even needing to see his face, which she figured was twisted into fury, the twisted fury that was deadly for anyone it was directed towards and tonight it was the man that was about to force himself on Éponine. The sight of him sending blow after blow towards a man wasn't anything new to her, but to see him doing it because of her was something she hadn't seen before, ever. She knew if she didn't stop him that he would kill the man, but frankly she didn't care. The man deserved to be beaten and deserved whatever Montparnasse decided to deal out to him, and she knew all too well what he was planning to do. Even from the distance she could her him mumble something to the man but could not decipher what it was exactly that was coming from him mouth, though considering it was Montparnasse it was most likely some threat or warning to the man about staying away, then again considering that within seconds he pulled a blade he kept in his boot Éponine decided that he was telling the man the last words he was ever going to hear. With a swift flick of his wrist and a few tense moments of him staring at the body underneath him with ragged breat Montparnasse finally pushed himself up on his legs, abliet shakily, and moved to cower down before Éponine, without saying a single word to her, she felt his arms lift her up and craddle her close to him which allowed her to bury her face into the crook of his neck as he set off.

Neither spoke a single word or made a single sound until they had arrived at Montparnasse's bedroom, from where Éponine had left in a heap of anger though now she was more than happy to be in the place where she could let her guard down. As soon as he lowerd her onto his bed she curled into herself bring her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around herself as if she was still shielding herself from the man who almost violated her and it was all she could do to not whimper when he slid in and faced her.

"Let me." The first words spoken from either one since he heard her screams, he'd have to lose his memory to not know it was hers, as he tried to gently move her arms and tried to replace them with his own. It took some cohersion and patience on his part but she finally moved her arms and he quickly replaced them with his own and craddled her closer to his body, "I told you I wasn't going to let anyone touch you." Words that were whispered into her ear as he held her, tears finally betraying her as they slid down her cheeks and her breath hitching as he slowly rubbed her back comforting her. She would still have to deal with life and the punishment her father decided to deal out to her for disappearing yet again and she knew that but for now she didn't have to think about any of that, for now she was with him and right now, that was all that mattered to her.

AN: I do want to first apologize for the extremely delayed update, I had a bit of writers block then decided to go off the map for a bit but I finally got this one posted up and I'm working on the next chapter already.

A little fun fact on this chapter, I was actually planning to use this particular part of the story for my canon Éponine account on twitter ( LockdInHisChains [shameless plug I know]) but I knew I'd have to do the build up to it and really I was too impatient with that so I moved it on over here. I hope the love/hate relationship I'm trying to convey is coming out. Honestly though I do need to credit this fic to my amazing and extremely talented and wonderful writing partner on twitter, she already knows she's one of my favorites to write with, Jayne. She's the Montparnasse to my Éponine, which might sound bad but it's not she's brilliant, and I adore that girl to bits and pieces. (Her canon Montparnasse [Another shameless plug] is TheivingBlade) she's my inspiration for this fic. Now I'm getting all sappy and rambly so I'll stop.

I'll have the next chapter up soon I promise! Enjoy!


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